June 19-21, 2009

Posted: July 31st, 2009 | Filed under: Out Of Town

Another visit to Philadelphia and environs . . .

Dinner at Rib Rack in Northeast Philadelphia:

Dessert — radioballs (Jen wants to know when the local name “radioball” turned into “gelati”) at Custard’s Last Stand nearby:

To Bethlehem to see the Bethlehem Steel site and the new Sands Casino:

Another Phillies game, just before the team went on its huge winning streak before the All-Star Break . . . finally getting video of the Fan Warning after the end of the first inning (although you can’t hear it as well as I’d hoped — maybe try again later):

(Now I have video of that, the SEPTA subway race, the national anthem and the home run-signaling Liberty Bell ringing . . .)

Then dinner at James on 8th (recommended!):

We missed the train back home from Suburban Station, so we walked across the John F. Kennedy Boulevard Bridge to 30th Street Station to kill time:

June 13-14, 2009

Posted: July 31st, 2009 | Filed under: Feed, Manhattan, Out Of Town

We made yet another trip up to Malouf’s Mountain Sunset Camp in the hills next to Beacon, in Dutchess County:

Malouf’s website explains the deal:

Wow!! Camping without a car? No camping gear? No problem! Welcome to Malouf’s Mountain Sunset Campground, a hike in, hike out, fully catered camping resort. We can supply you with almost everything needed to spend a relaxing weekend in the woods.

Whether coming from the south or north, enjoy a scenic train ride on the Metro North Hudson River Line. From the Beacon train station our shuttle will take you to the hike of your choice. Hikes range in duration from a half hour to five hours. While you hike in to the camp, enjoying the views, we transport your gear to the campground and place it at your site for your convenience.

They didn’t mention the stop at the trailhead at the general store where you can buy your beer, which they’ll also transport to the campsite; that’s also important.

More:

Upon arrival, the first thing you’ll notice is the privacy of each site. You will find a stack of firewood and your fire pit for cooking. You will see your covered platform which is especially nice because you’re not stuck in your tent if it rains. There is also a cover over your fire pit. You can bring your tent or rent one of ours. Then, there is our chow box — it has everything you will need for your stay, from pots and pans to a pad of paper and a deck of cards.

They also have a bathhouse with showers and toilets, big sinks for cleaning and dryers, too. Basically you need your sleeping bag and that’s it. This season they added a shuttle service to and from the train station at Beacon. It’s fantastic and we’ve been there three times now in the past couple of years. It’s about $60 a night for a site for two people. Highly recommended.

The idea is to do a long hike, and end up at the campsite. Here’s the portion of the map of the trail we took:

(You can buy the map here.)

Along the way we took more pictures of and from the old Casino site up on the ridge:

Then we checked in on the Rusted Red Car along the Casino Trail. It’s still there:

And the animals on the trail, what I think was a “Red Eft Newt” and a “Black Rat Snake”:

On the way back to town the next day we had time to poke around the Beacon Farmers Market, held Sundays on the ferry dock next to the train station:

Then one of us dropped by the 7th Annual Big Apple Barbecue Block Party at Madison Square:

The other one of us was way too tired . . .

Paris, France: May 22-May 27, 2009

Posted: July 20th, 2009 | Filed under: Out Of Town

Five days in Paris at the end of May.

Day One

Lines were way too long at the Eiffel Tower on a Saturday of a holiday weekend (Friday had been a bank holiday throughout France):

But the morning sun was good for a picture at least from Champ de Mars:

Went to Rue Cler, where we got a “tranche” of gold medal-winning Fromage de Tete (head cheese) at Charcuterie Jeusselin:

Then walked by or through the Esplanade des Invalides, Petit Palais, Champs Elysees, Place de la Concorde and the Jardin des Tuileries, where we visited the Musee de l’Orangerie:

And then the Musee d’Orsay:

After, we went back to the Hotel Malar, the hotel in the 7th Arrondissement where we stayed, via Place du Palais Bourbon.

We had dinner at Bistrot Victoires in the 1st Arrondissement, then walked around by the Louvre, Eglise Saint-Germain l’Auxerrois, La Samaritaine (which is closed until 2010 or something) and Place du Chatelet before getting Maison Berthillon Ice Cream on the Ile Saint-Louis. Then we walked by Notre-Dame at dusk:

Day Two

Pere-Lachaise Cemetery:

An Antiquite Brocante street sale outside the cemetery:

Lunch at L’As du Fallafel in the Marais:

The Musee Carnavalet city history museum, where you can see Proust’s bedroom:

A Bateaux-Mouches river cruise:

Snack at Lenotre and dinner at Restaurant Ma Bourgogne in the Place des Vosges:

Day Three

We delayed our Trip to the Top of the Eiffel Tower until Monday, and fortunately the weather was just as nice as it was on Saturday when the lines were too long. It still took a long time. We got in line at 12:33 p.m., reached the second level (first elevator) at 1:42 p.m., then waited in line for the elevator to the top for at least 45 minutes and finally got champagne on the top level at 2:42 p.m.:

Yes, you can “do” the Louvre in under two hours, at least if you hit the highlights:

Dinner at Les Fetes Galantes in the 5th Arrondissement (recommended):

We swung by the Pantheon and Saint-Etienne-du-Mont, stumbled on a night of street art at Place Saint-Sulpice, and saw the Eiffel Tower at night from the Hotel National des Invalides:

Day Four

Picked up victuals at Rue Mouffetard:

Ate a breakfast in the Jardin des Plantes before boarding a RER train at Gare d’Austerlitz for Versailles. We didn’t realize that the employees who hand out audioguides would ever go on strike, but there they were, on strike:

The other group of workers on strike that day were the people who sold tickets, but the work action only meant that instead of being able to buy a pass for all the Versailles attractions in one place at a reduced price, you had to pay separately for each. And that is when France turns into a parody of itself.

Dinner at Chez L’Ami Jean in the 7th Arrondissement (highly, highly recommended):

A note about the 50 Euro tasting menu at Chez L’Ami Jean: It is totally, totally worth it. Remember that the service is included in France (and most of Europe), so 50 Euros (which today is $71.09) is really reasonable for a meal of this caliber. For comparison’s sake, a tasting menu at WD-50 is $140 and one at Momofuku Ko is $85 — those are just two examples of places we’ve eaten at that seemed (sort of) similar in experience (and that we’ve like a lot). Chez L’Ami Jean was $70, service included. Unbelievable value, and as fantastic a dining experience. Like I said, highly, highly recommended.

Day Five

Food shopping around the Place de la Madeleine was just window shopping except for macarons from Laduree, which were consumed just before visiting the Palais Garnier, or Paris Opera:

Then we took in the view from the roof of Galeries Lafayette:

A final croque-madame at a place in the 7th Arrondissement:

Also . . .

We saw the Arc de Triomphe and Sacre Coeur but didn’t visit either one. At least one of us used one of those fantastic free Sanisettes on the street. And not only is the Paris Metro a convenient way to get around but they also have funny cartoons of rabbits: